This past Friday, Austin Richard Post, better known as Post Malone, released his highly anticipated third studio album “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” which is already predicted to reach number one on the charts. 

Post Malone, 24 years old, is quickly becoming one of the biggest artists of our generation. He produces songs that show elements of multiple genres from hip-hop, pop, grunge and electronic while also expressing a wide range of emotions. Malone considers himself to be “genre-less,” as he is able to offer his listeners a fresh and versatile range of songs.

The album is packed with 17 tracks featuring a variety of artists such as Ozzy Osbourne, Future, Travis Scott, SZA and Halsey, among others. Leading up to the album’s launch, a few singles were released including “Sunflower,” “Wow.,” “Goodbyes” and “Circles,” three of which were top-five hits. The album was released just days after his music video premiere for his newest single “Circles,” featuring Malone as a knight in a medieval town.

There is no doubt that “Hollywood’s Bleeding” is an emotionally packed rollercoaster. Malone takes his listeners on a personal journey, singing about his failed relationships and offering skepticism of those around him, as well as providing songs that are charged with feelings of anger, sadness, happiness and hopefulness. 

The insights, thoughts and experiences of Malone’s life are portrayed through a mix of slow, upbeat, sentimental and energetic musical styles. There is a song on the album for everyone. “Die for Me” and “Saint-Tropez” offer up your typical hip-hop sound, while “Circles,” “Staring At The Sun” and “Internet” are created more along the lines of ballads, whereas “Allergic” and “A Thousand Bad Times” offer up a more-lively pop take. 

Malone is very vulnerable throughout the album. Through his strong lyrics, listeners begin to enter into his mind and are able to relate to his wide range of experiences, anywhere from feeling taken advantage of, being hurt by a relationship or the toxicity of one’s environment. 

The album’s title track, “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” sets the scene perfectly for the rest of the album with lyrics such as, “Dyin’ in our sleep, we’re livin’ out a dream. We only make it out alone.”  Similarly, in other tracks such as “Goodbyes,” “Circles,” “Take What You Want,” “Myself” and “On The Road,” Malone self-reflects on different experiences in his life. On the other hand, you can see his inspirational side in “I’m Gonna Be,” where he sings about being what and who he wants to be, ignoring the opinions and comments of those around him.

Compared to his other albums, it appears that Malone is truly opening up with deeper lyrical meanings that feel more substantial than songs he has released in the past. Malone admits in an interview with Apple Music that “I just want to make songs that … tell stories and are genuine to me that I think is really awesome.” 

Not only are his songs genuine, but they are also relatable to his listeners. As a result, “Hollywood’s Bleeding” is one of the most powerful albums he has released to date. 

4.5/5 stars